African Grandmother's Summit on HIV

Written By: Audacia RayMay 6, 2010

On a daily basis, I feel struck by the stories of advocates and populations affected by and infected with HIV. But sometimes a story just hits me a little bit harder – and this is one of them. This week, representatives from twelve different African countries are meeting in Swaziland to discuss strategies to bring awareness to their circumstances. That sounds like a project that lots of advocates embark on.

A summit of grandparents in the west might prompt jokes about bingo and dentures, but the inaugural African Grandmothers’ Gathering, starting in Swaziland on Thursday, is a gravely serious affair.

More than 450 grandmothers from 12 African countries will meet to discuss the impact of losing adult children to Aids, becoming the head of a household and raising grief-stricken grandchildren as their own.

The piece is well-worth a read.

(hat tip to Lisa Vives, who covers Africa for the Global Information Network)